30 Celebrities We Didn’t Know Had Chicago Roots

For once, it’s not about Kanye

By

|Jan. 11, 2017

The Obamas. Oprah. Kanye West. Duh. Chances are, you can rattle off a few of the big names to have emerged from Chicago. But do you know which Mad Men star was born in Chi-City? How about a supermodel who graduated number one in her class? Our list will keep you guessing.

Gillian Anderson

Not only was Agent Scully born in Chicago, but she also she got her B.F.A. from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Universal Pictures

2/30

Michael Ian Black

The man who would one day romance Bradley Cooper in cult classic Wet Hot American Summer was born in Chicago but raised in New Jersey (whatever).

Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

3/30

Cindy Crawford

Crawford was valedictorian of her class at DeKalb High School and then headed to Northwestern University (on scholarship!) to study chemical engineering before dropping out to become, well, Cindy Crawford.

ABC Photo Archives / Getty Images

4/30

The Savage Brothers

Brothers, child actors and basically our childhood BFFS, Fred Savage (The Wonder Years) and Ben Savage (Boy Meets World) came of age in Glencoe and on TV at the same time.

Timothy Hiatt / Getty Images

5/30

The Cusacks

Another set of famous siblings, John and Joan Cusack grew up in Evanston, where they hung around this next famous dude…

HBO

6/30

Jeremy Piven

He went to Evanston Township High School with the Cusacks, but today he’s best known for “hugging it out” as Ari Gold.

Disney

7/30

Harrison Ford

The man who played Indiana Jones was once a Boy Scout in Chicago’s suburbs. The reason he got into acting? To overcome his shyness.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

8/30

Walt Disney

The legendary creator of our beloved Mickey Mouse grew up on Chicago’s West Side until his parents moved him and his siblings to Missouri.

Columbia Pictures

9/30

John C. Reilly

It’s fitting that Reilly was nominated for both an Oscar and Golden Globe for his turn in 2002’s Chicago—he was born here, after all.

Universal Television

10/30

Tina Fey

If you’ve read her memoir Bossypants, you know that post-college Fey cut her teeth performing at Second City before she became a Weekly Update icon.

Paramount Pictures

11/30

Jennifer Beals

Before she famously seductively dumped a bucket of water on herself, Jennifer Beals was just a student at Lincoln Park’s Francis W. Parker School.

Miramax

12/30

Daryl Hannah

The Kill Bill femme fatale was a student at Francis W. Parker at the same time as Jennifer Beals.

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

13/30

Hugh Hefner

Yep, Hef grew up in Chicago, where he launched his now ubiquitous publishing company. The original Playboy mansion still stands in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Who knew?

Imagine Television

14/30

Terrence Howard

His Empire character resides in New York, but Howard was born in Chicago.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

15/30

Jennifer Hudson

From humble beginnings singing in her Englewood church choir, Hudson has soared to fame, nabbing an Oscar for her performance as Effie in Dreamgirls.

Jerod Harris/Getty Images

16/30

Quincy Jones

The man who goes simply by “Q” has worked alongside Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson and earned a record 79 Grammy nominations. Not too shabby, Chicago. (Oh, and thank you for Rashida. #girlcrush)

Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images

17/30

Chaka Khan

She’s every Chicago woman. Anything you want done, baby, she’ll do it naturally. (Sorry. Had to.)

ABC News

18/30

Jenny McCarthy

This one’s a twofer: The model and TV personality McCarthy was born in Evergreen Park and today resides in St. Charles with her famous husband, Donnie Wahlberg.

Columbia Pictures

19/30

Melissa McCarthy

Bet you didn’t know that the comedian grew up in Plainfield and is a cousin of other suburban native Jenny.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

20/30

Bill Murray

Don’t be surprised if you catch this lifelong fan, a Wilmette native, sporting blue and red and cheering for the Cubbies.

Twentieth Century Fox

21/30

Mandy Patinkin

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Yep, also born in Chicago.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

22/30

Pete Wentz

Wentz was an all-state soccer player at New Trier High School. Fortunately, for Fall Out Boy fans, he wound up pursuing music over the sport.

Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images

23/30

Shonda Rhimes

The creator of Grey’s Anatomy (and Scandal) says that some of the inspiration for the medical drama came while she was a hospital volunteer during high school years in Chicago.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

24/30

Hillary Rodham Clinton

That’s right, the former FLOTUS, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate was raised in none other than Park Ridge, Illinois.

NBC Universal

25/30

Craig Robinson

Based on his roles in The Office, Hot Tub Time Machine and Pineapple Express, it might be hard to imagine Robinson was once an elementary school music teacher in Chicago.

Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images

26/30

Raquel Welch

The sex symbol was born in Chicago and lived here for two years before her family moved to San Diego, an admittedly sexier city.

AMC

27/30

Kiernan Shipka

Shipka’s family moved from Chicago to L.A. when she was only five to support her acting career. Two years later, she landed Mad Men.

John Lamparski/Getty Images

28/30

Patti Smith

Rock goddess Smith is known as a quintessential New Yorker, but she was actually born in Chicago.

Universal

29/30

Vince Vaughn

Growing up in Buffalo Grove and Lake Forest, Vaughn claims he was “very average” at sports—good thing he discovered his calling in acting.

Miramax

30/30

Robin Williams

The late comedian attended school on the North Shore. The less surprising fact: he was voted “Funniest” by his high school class.